Let’s add depth and dimension to our work by illuminating how we strive to serve others. Behind-the-scene tours focus on how the work is completed. We can hear about the obstacles that nearly derailed the project before it was completed. We can see the errors that were left in the construction phase but now are iconic hallmarks. We can feel the commitment to the process.
How might we share our work so our masterpiece has more depth and dimension?
Vision statements resonate when they present a picture of a better tomorrow, a problem solved, a better way, more opportunity, greater access, and/or removing barriers. It is harder to get inspired when vision statements are bland or redundant (e.g., make the world a better place). They can be simple. Achieving the vision might cause your enterprise to consider a new line of work. If oncologists share a vision to cure cancer, reaching this milestone means that a new line of inquiry or one big celebration party and disbanding is needed.
How might your vision identify the headwaters of your journey? How might it inspire with sufficient clarity about the work that matters?
Somebody planned to climb Mount Massive in Colorado’s Collegiate Mountain Range. They discovered the Highland Trail was not the correct way to the summit and left a note (graffiti) for their hiking companion to save them the experience of repeating their mistake.
What wrong turns have you made? How do you share your trail knowledge with others? What mistakes are worth leaving for others to encounter on their own, and which require notification in your judgment?
How might we point out what is worth noting and not be a constant flashing amber light of ‘caution everywhere?’
Sometimes, to access a suitable location for our causes to prosper and grow, we must dig in and create a pathway. How might our work be both visible and revealing?
Riding a bike across a swinging cable bridge creates movement on the deck, amplified by the inputs from the rider. Add more cyclists to the same bridge span, and the journey gets more energetic. Navigating the span becomes increasingly more challenging (and exhilarating) with more inputs.
For others, leaping from a bridge attached to a bungee cord is a thrill, and it provides the rush of adventure and a state of free fall that is not customary to the human lifecycle. There are fewer inputs for a bungee jumper, and removing constraints makes it remarkable.
The impact of variables and inputs creates different journeys and feedback. How might we amplify our journey by seeking higher-quality inputs? Let’s be clear about which variables we hope to leverage.
What catches your eye? What makes you slow down or turn around to take a closer look? We might have seen all the elements of the subject matter, but when combined uniquely, they are remarkable.
Sometimes serendipity creates the best moments. I asked for a photo of my son during a sunset hike in the local foothills and he delivered an unconventional response. I will remember this photo more than many other family sunset moments because it is unique. A one of a kind.
We are often remembered for what makes us unique because it is easier to categorize the memory’s of those who know us. We can create the frame to capture our individual approach or we can try to hide in the background. It is a choice.
Why run a Turkey Trot 5K? My daughter and I ran more than 5Ks getting to the race and home, so it was not the about the distance. It was the chance to participate with a group of people. To join a variety of participants, from competitors in elaborate costumes, to dogs, dogs and infants in baby joggers, to the fastest competitors. It was an assembling of individuals with a shared goal of navigating a course and coming together as a community. A shared vision of celebrating a holiday that unites instead of divides.
What gatherings do we convene that unite? What moments do we curate that create unique bonds and strong ties? It is easy to divide individuals. It is much harder to unite a group with diverse beliefs.
When change is visible, it is remarkable. It may not alter our course but we might prepare in advance for the conditions that follow. How do you respond when change is visible on the horizon?
What-if-concepts 